Uplift Team
Keri Salerno
Executive Director
Keri Salerno brings over 20 years of experience working in the non-profit, public, and political sectors. Prior to joining Uplift in March of 2023, Keri spent almost seven years at Public Health Management Corporation in two different senior director roles where she oversaw the departments focusing on nutrition, traffic safety, sexual health, workforce development, and built environment as well raised an estimated $30M, created three new business lines, and generated several opportunities for organizational exposure. Before PHMC, Ms. Salerno spent almost eight years in the public sector serving under New Jersey Senate President Stephen Sweeney and Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter. Much of this time was spent creating programs and policies to aid vulnerable populations specifically those who have been justice involved and/or affected by gun violence. In the early part of her career, she spent over six years as a fundraiser and grassroots organizer for local, state, federal, and issue based and electoral campaigns.
In addition to her professional experience, Ms. Salerno has been civically engaged in Philadelphia by being a Committeeperson in Philadelphia’s 2nd Ward 9th Division; serving on the board of directors of Philadelphia250 (currently) and Philadelphia Young Non-profit Leaders (formerly); being a publisher, editor, manager of volunteer writers and writer for the Philadelphia Social Innovations Journal; and a former member of of Young Involved Philadelphia and Young America PAC. Lastly, she is an award-winning gardener having placed in Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s Gardening and Greening Contest in 2013.
Ms. Salerno holds a Masters in Government Administration and Certificate in Non-profit Management from the Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania. She received a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science from Tulane University. While at Tulane, Ms. Salerno spent her junior year abroad studying modern Greek history and international relations at College Year in Athens.
What Uplifts You? I find happiness when my infant daughter smiles and my German Shepherd dog perks her ears up.
Email: keri@upliftphilly.org
TEL: 267-237-3123
Crystal Wortham,
MSW, LCSW
Director of Clinical & Education Services
Known for her empathy, optimism and strong work ethic, Crystal has a passion and genuine concern for others. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychological & Social Sciences from the Pennsylvania State University and a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2). Crystal has since been working diligently in the field of loss and grief. She has also presented at the Association of Death Education and Counseling conference, and received a special recognition award from the Philadelphia Coalition for Victim Advocacy.
What Uplifts You? Faith, family, friends, love and laughter.
Email: crystal@upliftphilly.org
TEL: 267-367-4574
Kevin McGuire
Director of Development
Kevin McGuire has over a decade of experience in nonprofit fundraising. Prior to joining Uplift, Kevin worked with the Deborah Hospital Foundation and the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America, where he honed his skills in aligning fundraising efforts with organizational goals and diversifying revenue streams. Kevin joined Uplift in November 2023 as the Development Director. In this role, he is responsible for leading the development team, overseeing all fundraising activities, and ensuring that the organization’s fundraising strategies effectively support its mission. Mr. McGuire holds bachelor’s degrees in Sociology and Communication Studies from Rowan University.
Kevin’s journey into development work began with the compassion and kindness he experienced from his community growing up, inspiring a deep desire to give back. He views fundraising as a powerful tool for creating tangible impact, finding great reward in witnessing how collective efforts can bring about meaningful change. Kevin believes that when a community comes together to support its members, the impact far exceeds the sum of its parts.
What Uplifts you? Kevin loves being outside and exploring new places. On the weekends you can find him playing with his dog or hanging out with his loved ones.Â
Email: kevinm@upliftphilly.org
TEL: 267-419-9129
Teresa MĂ©ndez-Quigley, MSW
Associate Director of Family Services & Innovative Practices
Teresa supports the team of clinicians, interns, volunteers, and medical students who facilitate the evening Family Services grief groups. These include virtual groups via Zoom and in-person services and events to support families in their grief journeys. Our innovative practices include using a family model for specialty groups, increased offerings to LGBTQIA+ youth, and enhancing Spanish-language services. In addition, Teresa guides the Philly HopeLine operations and processes to ensure families have easy access to grief and emotional support, grief groups, and community resources.
Teresa joined Uplift in 2015. She has served as the lead clinician for Uplift’s Northeast site and supported South Philly grief groups. As Special Populations Coordinator, she provided grief support and workshops to immigrant communities.
Teresa brings extensive experience to Uplift – she has worked in healthcare settings with terminally ill families, launched innovative programming around environmental health advocacy, led a program at NJ State Department of Education, and served in social service organizations throughout the region. Teresa earned a Bachelor of Social Work from Temple University and a Master of Social Work degree from Rutgers University. She has completed fellowships with the Hispanic Women’s Leadership Institute at Rutgers, the Environmental Leadership Program, and the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Agency (NOAA) Climate Stewards Education Project. Her family hails from Puerto Rico.
What Uplifts you? The light in children’s eyes – including my son’s. I have enjoyed making 25 international trips in 3 continents, sampling new foods, practicing different languages, and interacting with many cultures. I enjoy reading historical fiction, learning new skills, and eating dark chocolate (Equal Exchange Raspberry) and ice cream all year long (current favorite is Alden’s Organic Midnight Cherry Chip).
Email: teresa@upliftphilly.org
TEL: 267-437-3123 x 18
Katherine Streit,
MSW, LCSW, M.S. Ed
Associate Director of School Services & Professional Trainings
Katherine Streit, MSW, LSW, M.S.Ed. is a Licensed Social Worker who received both a Master’s of Social Work and Master’s of Science in Education at the University of Pennsylvania. Katherine has extensive experience working with children in behavioral health and violence prevention roles in Philadelphia schools, as well as coaching and consulting with educators, school leadership, and climate staff. Katherine serves as one of the Associate Directors at Uplift Center for Grieving Children, where she develops and implements the Center’s training and Professional Development opportunities with educators & school staff, mental health professionals, and caregivers around the city, as well as Uplift’s training program for grief group volunteer facilitators. She also has the privilege of being the clinician for several of Uplift’s School & Community grief groups, and supports the Family Services grief groups at our East Falls location.
What Uplifts you? Reading, writing, hiking, yoga, biking, spending time in nature with my spouse, being an Auntie, my book club, witnessing the power of young people, children’s literature & picture books, and devouring Trevor Noah’s latest comedy clips (with embarrassing frequency).
Email: katherine@upliftphilly.org
TEL: 267-437-3123 x 1001
CJ Roseberry,
MSW
Family Care Clinical Coordinator
CJ Roseberry, MSW is a social worker who received their Master’s Degree from Florida Gulf Coast University in Social Work and their undergraduate degree, also from FGCU in Philosophy minoring in Gender Studies. Upon graduation CJ has worked with bereaved youth and their families in both hospice and grief center settings in Southwest Florida. CJ recently moved to Philadelphia to work at Uplift Center for Grieving Children, where they work as Uplift’s Family Care Clinical Coordinator. CJ’s professional interests include working with LGBTQIA+ youth, use of meditation in a support group setting and the function of ambiguous loss in relation to mental health status. CJ has aspirations to obtain a PhD in Human Sexuality specializing in Transgender Health.
What Uplifts you? A good nap, eating vegan comfort food, and practicing yoga.
Email: cj@upliftphilly.org
TEL: 267-437-3123 x 1002
Darcie Rudolf,
MA, LPC, NCC
Family Access Clinical Coordinator
Darcie Rudolf, MA, LPC, NCC is a Licensed Professional Counselor who received her MA in Counseling Psychology from Arcadia University, and B.A. in English from the University of Scranton. She is a former marketing professional who made a career change to support students as they navigate the complexities of adolescence and young adulthood. Her clinical work has included supporting grieving children and their caregivers in school and community settings, and individuals on the Autism Spectrum. She now works as the Family Access Clinical Coordinator at Uplift Center for Grieving Children in Philadelphia, PA. Through her work at Uplift over the past six years, Darcie has recognized the need to connect families to services and support even when it was beyond the scope of what Uplift could provide. She is responsible for increasing access to all Uplift services by managing logistics, processes and training for the Philly HopeLine including intakes and enrollments. She continues to strengthen Uplift’s referral network to ensure warm handoffs to direct points of contact with current and credible resources for all who need them. Darcie’s goal is to make whatever is available, also accessible to all.
What Uplifts you? Connecting with family, friends, and neighbors in creative activities including, building props and painting set pieces for local community theatre. The smell of the ocean, baking, singing in the car, and making art in the form of short notes and cards.
Email: darcier@upliftphilly.org
TEL: 267-448-5024
Yaa Allen,
MA, E-RYT, SEP
Senior Uplift Clinician
Yaa Allen is a Philadelphia native who received her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Temple University and her Masters of Arts in Education Policy from Columbia University. She is also a certified trauma-informed yoga instructor and a somatic experiencing practitioner in training. Yaa specializes in making the yoga practice accessible, inclusive, and healing focused. Yaa brings her expertise in somatics and mindfulness into her role as Uplift Clinician. She is grateful to be back in her hometown supporting youth and families through their grieving journey.
What Uplifts you? Fresh air, long hot showers, hugs and kisses from my children, and a delicious meal I didn’t have to cook.Â
Email: yaa@upliftphilly.org
TEL: 267-303-7582
Samantha Anthony,
MS, LPC
Senior Uplift Clinician
Samantha, born and raised in Malawi, has been a Philadelphia resident since immigrating to the U.S. in 2010. While in the US, she earned both her Bachelor of Science in Human Services and her Master’s in Clinical and Counseling Psychology from Chestnut Hill College. She additionally obtained her license to practice as a Licensed Professional Counselor.
Samantha began her journey with Uplift as an intern in 2019 and transitioned to a full-time clinician in 2020. Throughout her time at Uplift, she has supported youth and caregivers in Uplifts evening groups and youth in schools. She has additionally worked with justice involved youth and found a passion in providing grief support to grieving youth at Philadelphia’s Juvenile Justice Center.
Her professional interests lie in the interconnected areas of grief, trauma, juvenile justice, culture, and education. Samantha is a firm believer that grief is a social justice issue, and that mental health is a fundamental human right.
What Uplifts you? My Faith, My Family, My Friends, Fruit, sunshine (at the beach), Flowers and Houseplants 
Email: samantha@upliftphilly.org
TEL: 267-961-5586 ext 1009 
Lamya Broussard,
LCSW, MSS, MLSP
Senior Uplift Clinician
Lamya Broussard is a dedicated Trauma Informed Certified Senior Clinician whose been in the Social Services field for the past 18 years. She’s honored to have worked with various populations including youth aging out of foster care, LGBTQ & homeless youth, youth with co-occurring disorders, underserved & marginalized communities and schools impacted by compounded grief & loss, opioid laden communities and more. She enjoys representing Uplift through presentations at national conferences, on podcast and as a selectee of National Alliance for Children’s Grief continuing education advisory council.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Tuskegee University and a Master in Social Services & a Master in Law & Social Policy from Bryn Mawr Graduate School of Social Work & Social Research with a specialization in Child & Family Wellbeing. Prior to earning such degrees and specialization, she always believed behaviors have a root cause. She finds joy and her life purpose in helping others navigate through their healing process.
What Uplifts You? Eating BBQ chicken & spending quality time with loved ones!
Email: lamya@upliftphilly.org
TEL: 267-367-4576
Sam Middleton,
MS
Senior Uplift Clinician
Originally from Wilkes-Barre, PA, Sam Middleton moved to Philadelphia to attend college in 2014. Sam received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology degree from Arcadia University in 2018. She then went on to receive her Master of Clinical and Counseling Psychology, with a specialization in trauma, from Chestnut Hill College, graduating in 2020. Sam gained experience through several internships, including in a funeral home and other non-profit organizations where she determined that she wanted to pursue a career in psychology and bereavement.
While starting her time at Uplift Center for Grieving Children as an intern, Sam gained experience and expertise in support group facilitation, eventually becoming a member of Uplift’s staff where she utilizes her knowledge in trauma-informed care and grief and loss support. She now focuses on the LGBTQIA+ Youth Community and works to make engagement and support available for this community. She has special interest in using a decolonized framework and anti-racist theory in her work with youth and families throughout Philadelphia specifically working with Queer and Trans Youth to cultivate beyond inclusive groups, curriculum and care.
What Uplifts you? Playing video games with friends, crockpot meals, dyeing my hair, and long naps with the windows open
Email: sam@upliftphilly.org
TEL: 267-437-3123 ext. 1010
Chabeli Angeline Noval, MSW, LSW
Senior Uplift Clinician
Katherine DiPierro
Development and Communications Associate
Katherine joined Uplift Center for Grieving Children in 2019. She manages Uplift’s fundraising with a focus on individual giving, database management, donor events, and grant writing. Notably, Katherine leads fundraising communications during Uplift’s annual appeal and its annual fundraising dinner, An UPLIFTing Evening. She served as the staff liaison to the Young Professionals Board from 2020 to 2023.
Katherine also maintains all external communications, public relations, media editing, and graphic design for Uplift. In addition to creating donor-centric communications, she collaborates with the clinical team to design tip sheets, videos, and web pages for Uplift’s grief services. Her accomplishments include branding and materials design for the Philly HopeLine, video production of La Pequeña Criatura (The Small Creature) for Spanish-speaking grief groups, and captioning Uplift’s YouTube video library.
Katherine has worked in communications and program management throughout the arts and business development sectors. Past employers include the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia, 1Berkshire in partnership with Venly, and the Berkshire Hills Internship Program (B-HIP) at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. She graduated from Muhlenberg College with a B.A. in psychology and studio art.
What uplifts you? Freeform arts and crafts, sharing a meal with friends, and the euphoria of solving a puzzle.
Email: katherined@upliftphilly.org
TEL: 267-536-0616